Mobile belt conveyors with attached hoppers are known in the art. Such belt conveyors include wheels for transportation, and are used to convey fertilizer, lime, dirt, rock, and other particulate material. The hopper is connected to the conveyor adjacent the inlet end of the conveyor. A conveyor belt is trained about a drive roller at the discharge end of the conveyor frame and an idler roller on the opposite end of the hopper. The belt is driven by a motor. In one known conveyor system, a hitch is provided adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor for hitching the conveyor to a tractor or vehicle, with the hopper being pivoted beneath the conveyor during transport. In another form of the conveyor system, the hitch is provided on the free end of the hopper, with hydraulically actuated pivotal legs to support the system above the ground for hitching a tractor or vehicle to the hopper. Such pivotal legs require a pin for holding the conveyor straight for transport down a road.
The moving or conversion of these prior art conveyor systems between the transport and use positions is slow and cumbersome.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved mobile belt conveyor which can be quickly and easily moved between the transport and use positions.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved belt conveyor having a hopper connected thereto with a hitch on the hopper that can be raised and lowered for connecting to a hitch receiver.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved mobile belt conveyor having a simple hydraulic system for hitching and unhitching the system to a tractor or vehicle.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved mobile belt conveyor which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
The improved mobile belt conveyor of the present invention includes a conveyor frame with opposite forward and rearward ends. A belt conveyor extends along the conveyor and hopper frames, and is driven by a motor. A hopper has a rearward end pivotally connected to the forward end of the conveyor frame. The forward end of the hopper includes a hitch. A pair of hydraulic cylinders have one end connected to the conveyor frame and an opposite end connected to the hopper. A control valve is provided for actuating the hydraulic cylinders. When the cylinders are retracted, the hopper pivots upwardly relative to the conveyor frame, thereby raising the hitch, such that a tractor or vehicle can be backed under the hitch. Extension of the hydraulic cylinders pivots the hopper downwardly relative to the conveyor frame, thereby lowering the hitch onto a hitch receiver on the tractor or vehicle. In the transport position, the hopper and conveyor frame are substantially aligned for transportation down a road. In the used position, the hopper is flat on the ground, with the conveyor extending upwardly for discharge of particulate material into a receptacle, such as a truck bed.